In a significant political development, Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has paid what sources describe as a suspicious visit to former PDP National Chairman Senator Iyorchia Ayu, a known ally of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The meeting comes just hours after Atiku officially defected to the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Political Realignment in Benue State
The unscheduled meeting between Governor Alia and Senator Ayu took place at Ayu's residence on Nyesom Wike Road in Makurdi and lasted for approximately two and a half hours. Political insiders reveal that the governor's visit was aimed at facilitating his potential defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to seek an alternative platform for his second-term ambition.
Senator Iyorchia Ayu has maintained a strong political relationship with Atiku Abubakar over the years, having served as Director General of Atiku's presidential campaign in 2007 and remaining a key ally during the 2019 and 2023 election cycles. The bond between the two politicians was further cemented when Atiku refused to sacrifice Ayu as PDP national chairman despite pressure from the G-5 Governors during the 2023 election buildup.
Deepening APC Crisis in Benue
Governor Alia's political troubles within the APC have been escalating dramatically. The governor has been unable to reconcile with majority stakeholders in Benue APC, particularly his benefactor, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Senator George Akume. This failure has severely compromised his chances of securing the party's nomination for the 2027 gubernatorial election.
The situation within Benue APC has become so fractured that President Bola Tinubu has recognized two factional chairmen - Comrade Benjamin Omakolo from the governor's camp and Comrade Austin Aganda from the SGF's faction. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga has publicly addressed both appointees as legitimate Benue State APC chairmen, highlighting the deep division within the party.
Governor Alia's political isolation extends beyond his conflict with Senator Akume. The governor is currently in open confrontation with all three senators from Benue State, nine out of eleven House of Representatives members, and more than half of the Benue State House of Assembly members.
Failed Reconciliation Efforts
Multiple peace initiatives have collapsed due to Governor Alia's refusal to honor agreements. According to sources, the governor turned down President Tinubu's direct instruction to reconcile with party stakeholders during his visit to Yelwatta community following terrorist attacks that claimed over 200 lives.
The governor also failed to reconstitute an all-inclusive State Executive Council after its dissolution, despite an agreement to allocate commissioner positions to SGF Akume and other major stakeholders. Additionally, Alia refused to implement the second phase of a peace agreement brokered in Makurdi that involved including SGF loyalists in the State House of Assembly leadership.
A National Assembly member from Benue State, speaking anonymously, revealed: "The SGF himself, in the presence of his wife, told this governor that he was not his choice; it was his wife who insisted. He asked his wife to listen as a witness. All the fears we had came to pass."
Alternative Platform Search Intensifies
With his APC prospects diminishing, Governor Alia appears to be actively seeking alternative political platforms. Reports indicate that former Governor Gabriel Suswam had been tasked with securing ADC membership for Alia as a backup option, though the state ADC chapter has denied being anyone's fallback option.
Meanwhile, APC stakeholders in Benue State have reportedly zeroed in on Barr. Pius Akutah, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shipper's Council, as their preferred candidate for the 2027 governorship election. Akutah's candidacy aligns with Benue's rotational governorship policy, which favors Kwande intermediate area where he hails from.
The political tension has manifested physically with the recent demolition of President Tinubu's campaign office in Makurdi and another APC chieftain's property loyal to the SGF. These developments signal that the cold war has escalated, potentially leaving no room for Governor Alia within the APC structure.
As the anonymous National Assembly member concluded: "He has no pathway to winning the primaries in this party because we will insist on delegate elections. The earlier he seeks another platform, the better for him."
